Australia Will Find It Difficult to Deliver on Surplus: Pros

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OTTAWA — The Harper government will deliver its fall fiscal and economic update today — a document expected to reveal the magnitude of Ottawa’s 2015 surplus.
Finance Minister Joe Oliver has maintained the government is on track to balance the books in next year’s budget, even as the world economy struggles and the declining price of oil hurts Canada’s bottom line.
The government also predicts it will still run a surplus even after unveiling a multibillion-dollar suite of cost-cutting initiatives for families with children under 18.

Perth (Australia) (AFP) - A rarely seen Omura's whale has washed up in Australia, only the second sighting nationally and one of the few globally, exciting scientists who know little about the species, officials said Tuesday.

OTTAWA – Canada’s budget watchdog says the country is on track to run a $3.6-billion surplus in 2014-15 — which would balance the books a year ahead of government predictions.
But the Parliamentary Budget Officer is urging Ottawa to proceed with caution when deciding whether to use surplus cash to introduce spending initiatives or to bring permanent tax relief.
If not, the PBO says the government risks falling back into deficit once economic growth slows.

Two objects that could be debris from the missing Malaysia Airlines jet have been found 1,550 miles off the coast of Australia in the Indian Ocean. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott made the announcement at the start of Question Time in the House of Representatives. The potential debris was identified from satellite imagery.

With just six months before the next election, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s governing Conservatives have introduced a budget that offers attractive tax breaks for targeted voters and puts the country’s finances back into a precariously small surplus.
The economic blueprint introduced Tuesday by Finance Minister Joe Oliver also sets aside new money over the next few years for enhanced national security, including money for the Canadian Forces, and municipal infrastructure projects such as public transit.

OTTAWA — One of Canada’s biggest banks says sliding oil prices could turn the federal government’s promised 2015-16 surplus into a deficit.
A report by TD Bank is projecting Ottawa to run a $2.3-billion shortfall next fiscal year rather than the $1.6-billion surplus predicted by the government in November — before oil prices fell further.
The bank also says the government’s $4.3-billion surplus projection for 2016-17 is on track to become a $600-million deficit unless new revenue-generating or cost-cutting measures are introduced.

Australia have the odds stacked against them as they bid to get past Serbia here on Wednesday and hang on the Germany-Ghana result if they are to progress to the last 16 at the World Cup.Australia, trailing in Group D with just one point, need to beat the Serbians and hope either group leaders Ghana win by any margin or Germany hammer the Ghanaians in the simultaneous match in Johannesburg.It looks a tall order for the embattled Socceroos, who have won only one of their overall nine World Cup games and find scoring goals difficult.